Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to whistles utilized by referees in sporting events. More specifically, the present invention relates to wireless actuators associated with the whistles utilized by referees in sporting events.
Description of the Related Art
In many sporting events, various individuals (e.g., officials, referees, umpires) are responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view. These individuals may make numerous quick decisions directed at enforcing the rules of the respective sport they are overseeing.
In some sports (e.g., soccer, football, basketball), the various individuals may utilize whistles or other similar devices. When used by the various individuals presiding over the game, the whistle may indicate change in game phases (e.g., when a play is over) or violation of rules.
Also associated with many sporting events is the use of a timekeeper who is responsible for keeping track of the remaining time for a particular game. The remaining time may be tracked using an official game clock that can be seen by the players and bystanders alike.
In some sports (e.g., football, basketball), the operation of the game clock is associated with the signals via whistles provided by the various individuals presiding over the game. For example, a whistle can be used to indicate when the game clock should be stopped and when the game clock should resume. It may be important that the timekeeper is able to hear the signals coming from the whistle so that accurate timekeeping can be maintained.
Furthermore, it may also be equally important to ensure that the various players are capable of hearing signals via whistles. There may be many obstructions that can prevent one or more players from hearing a whistle from a single referee. For example, the player may be too far from the source or the sound from the fans/crowd may be too loud thereby drowning out the whistle sound. In these cases when one or more players are prevented from hearing the signal, this may delay the overall progression of the game. In some situations where some players have stopped play while others have not, confusion may arise and result in injuries. For example, there may be a situation where a quarterback who has heard the whistle proceeds to end the play due to a signaled in-game violation. But if one or more defensive players fail to hear the same signal, they may continue playing and proceed to tackle the quarterback. Since the quarterback was under the belief that the play had ended, the quarterback may be caught by surprise and may not take the necessary precautions to prevent injury caused by the incoming tackle.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and a method whereby signals provided by, for example, a referee in a sporting event is provided instantaneously to all the players. There is also a need for the system and method to provide the same signal to the timekeeper so accurate timekeeping can be maintained.